(The 22-venue 110-day event features 66 artists/collectives from 25 nations)
TTT NEWS NETWORK
KOCHI | 13 DECEMBER 2025
The sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) began with the official flag going up at the pivotal venue of the 110-day art festival amid a flurry of performances from conventional as well as experimental genres.
KMB President Bose Krishnamachari and biennale-2025 curator Nikhil Chopra hoisted the 2025 event’s flag at the leafy compound of Aspinwall House in Fort Kochi, just as young chenda percussionist Margi Rahitha Krishnadas concluded her vibrant Thayambaka recital to a thunderous applause from the gathering.
Present on the occasion on Friday noon were former minister M.A. Baby, who is CPI(M) General Secretary and has been a well-wisher of the KMB since its inception in 2012. Others included former Union Minister K.V. Thomas, Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) Chairperson Dr Venu V., CEO Thomas Varghese, Trust Board members Shabana Faisal, Tony Joseph, Mariam Ram, N.S. Madhavan and Bony Thomas, besides Jitish Kallat, who was the curator of KMB-2014.
Nikhil Chopra with HH Art Space, Goa, introduced the biennale venues to the public which will run till March 31, 2026.
In the run-up to the official inauguration in the evening, Portuguese visual artist Monica de Miranda presented a performance that served a novel experience for the audience at Aspinwall House. Titled ‘A New Alphabet’, her show highlighted the importance of nature conservation through drawing. The 49-year-old performer employed sculpture, installation, photography and film in her performance, weaving a language beyond letters using imagination, voice and body.
Next came a performance by Singapore-based artist-writer Zarina Muhammad. Titled ‘Procession for a Shifting Storm’, it showcased the ephemeral nature of Kochi as a port-city with its invaluable heritage.
Following this was Delhi-based Mandeep Raikhy’s performance, ‘Hallucinations of an Artifact’, staged at the SMS Hall. The core theme was a political defence against gender discrimination, nationalism and sexuality.
By dusk, Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan declared open the biennale-2025. The ceremony at Parade Ground in Fort Kochi was followed by a music show into the night.
The biennale-2025 features 22 venues besides seven collaterals, with its international exhibition led by 66 artists/collectives from 25 countries. A range of parallel shows began today, and will run till the end of the biennale.
Advertisement:
Add Comment